Berlin/Geneva, April 8th – Only half of the countries around the world assessed in a new report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) give all migrants access to government-funded health services.
The findings show that uneven acceptance of migrants and access to basic services remains a global challenge. The agency encourages countries to step up efforts to improve access to health care and other services through a people-centered approach that involves the whole of government.
“Today, more people than ever before have access to essential health services, but many immigrants remain underserved. It is a fundamental human right for all people, regardless of gender, language, religion, nationality or social origin,” said IOM Deputy Director-General for Operations Ugochi Daniels. “This year is an opportunity to rise up and move forward through impactful health policy and services for everyone. The Transition Governance Indicators Initiative shines a spotlight on the way forward.”
The report, from IOM's Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) initiative, draws on data from 100 country-level and 69 local-level assessments conducted between 2016 and 2023. It provides important findings and recommendations in shaping migration policy, including access.
Access to services such as health care and education is an important indicator of policies that promote the rights and equal opportunities of migrants. However, the scope of legal access to these services varies widely around the world. For example, 18 percent of countries assessed in Europe have a legal right to access health services, compared to 70 percent of countries assessed in the Americas.
Percentage of countries with regulations that allow all immigrants access to government-funded health care and education. Source: IOM
There are also differences in health insurance coverage within national and subnational levels and between immigration categories such as refugees, labor migrants, asylum seekers, and international students.
Evidence shows that access to health care is also hindered by immigrants' reluctance to seek care due to immigration status, financial constraints, or fear of deportation. The report recommends that governments provide timely information to migrants about their rights and provide administrative alternatives to facilitate access for migrants in irregular status.
In addition to insights into migrants' access to health services, the report provides insights into migration governance, including measures to trace missing migrants, disaster risk reduction strategies, labor migration programs, data collection, national migration strategies, and engagement with diaspora communities. It also covers other important aspects of .
Note to editors:
Launched in 2016, the MGI program aims to advance evidence-based, people-centred migration policies around the world. With assessments conducted in 110 countries and 95 states, cities, and municipalities, MGI has established itself as the largest source of data on migration governance worldwide.
Click here to read the full report. Executive summary available here.
***
For more information, please contact us below.
Geneva: media@iom.int
Berlin: Jorge Galindo, IOM Global Data Institute, email: jgalindo@iom.int, phone: +4915226216775
